Statements by the President of the Republic on the Turkish violations in the buffer zone

“As of tomorrow morning, the decisions taken by the Republic of Cyprus regarding the issue of Turkish violations in the buffer zone will be implemented” said the President of the Republic, Mr Nikos Christodoulides.

In statements he made to the media upon arrıval at an event by the American Chamber of Commerce in Cyprus, and in response to a journalist’s remark that there was renewed tension in the buffer zone in Agios Dometios tonight while the 24-hour deadline mentioned yesterday has expired, the President of the Republic said: “The information we have from the United Nations is that they continue their efforts. What I want to add to what I said yesterday is that, as of tomorrow morning, the decisions taken by the Republic of Cyprus will be implemented. I said that the decisions will not be made public; some of them will be visible, others will not.”

He added that “this is a serious violation. The National Guard, the Republic of Cyprus, we have decided on the method of response. As of tomorrow morning, this method will be put into effect, unless there are – and I hope there will be – developments in the UN efforts.”

Asked if the international community has been briefed about the events, President Christodoulides said: “Of course, the Permanent Members of the UN Security Council have been informed, as well as at the EU level.”

Asked to comment on statements made by the Turkish side that the buffer zone is related to the territorial issue and will be subject to negotiations, the President of the Republic said that “it is a well-known approach that is always put on the negotiating table by the Turkish side, a stance devoid of any seriousness; it is a statement not worth commenting on.”

Asked if these events create further obstacles to the UN Secretary-General’s effort to appoint a special envoy for the Cyprus problem, the President said: “All these developments prove that there is even more need for the appointment of an envoy; and one of the reasons, among many, why this tension is being attempted to be generated, is to prevent any effort to resume negotiations. The stance of the Turkish side is well-known; they are afraid to come to the negotiating table with such inadmissible positions that are not acceptable by anyone, but this is, also, one of the goals they are trying to serve.”

(ASP/IA)

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